Latinamerican joining Fraternities

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by 33girl

And just to get off on another tangent, there's capitalization or lack thereof: Andre Braugher is Black or Andre Braugher is black.

One reason why Black with a capital "b" is used is to symbolize empowerment. I always capitalize Black when it deals with race and ethnicity. In many personal and professional environments, people are corrected if they do not capitalize Black.

[LatinaAlumna]

Originally Posted by Mevara

It is but I just had to say something about LatinaAlumna's post

It is one of my biggest pet peeves. No matter what the person identifies as, no one else should say what the person is or is not.

I agreed with his statement on what he says he is. I think you are upset because my definition of his self-selected label is a negative one. I'm not going to apologize for that.

People can call themselves whatever they want, but it doesn't mean that others need to have a positive view of what they choose. As someone else said, words can mean very different things depending on the context. You might want to look into why the word has taken on a different meaning to different people, instead of just saying "I don't really know the difference, but it sounds mean so I'm still going to complain at that girl for saying it!"

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by LatinaAlumna

People can call themselves whatever they want, but it doesn't mean that others need to have a positive view of what they choose. As someone else said, words can mean very different things depending on the context. You might want to look into why the word has taken on a different meaning to different people, instead of just saying "I don't really know the difference, but it sounds mean so I'm still going to complain at that girl for saying it!"

But you didn't just express your personal view of the general topic and your own personal preferences. You didn't initially provide the context. You started off with your assessment of him.

Like I said when it pertains to Black/African American/any other African Diasporic identity, if someone were to tell me "yes, I'd say you are definitely (insert identity they disagree with). Maybe one day you will learn enough to become (insert identity they agree with)," it wouldn't just be about that person's opinion of the general topic and how they identify. They'd be coming at me directly. And I'd tell that person to "fuck off."

[Mevara]

Originally Posted by LatinaAlumna

I agreed with his statement on what he says he is. I think you are upset because my definition of his self-selected label is a negative one. I'm not going to apologize for that.

People can call themselves whatever they want, but it doesn't mean that others need to have a positive view of what they choose. As someone else said, words can mean very different things depending on the context. You might want to look into why the word has taken on a different meaning to different people, instead of just saying "I don't really know the difference, but it sounds mean so I'm still going to complain at that girl for saying it!"

I didn't say I didn't know the difference. I said I don't see a difference. To me it is the same as being someone else being called White or Caucasian.

Originally Posted by voLTAgeDEuce

However, if someone who is Latino/Non-Spaniard (not from Spain) uses 'Hispanic' they come across as culturally uneducated and that is not very respectable.

At what point do you draw the line? How much does someone have to know before they can be considered culturally educated? What if they know everything there is to know about the culture but still chose to use the word Hispanic? What then?

[LatinaAlumna]

Originally Posted by Mevara

I didn't say I didn't know the difference. I said I don't see a difference. To me it is the same as being someone else being called White or Caucasian.

So you know the difference between "Hispanic" and "Latino" but still use them interchangeably? That's interesting.

[Mevara]

Originally Posted by LatinaAlumna

So you know the difference between "Hispanic" and "Latino" but still use them interchangeably? That's interesting.

To add to that both my parents, both born and raised in Mexico, prefer Hispanic over Latino(a). My mom says she dislikes the word Latina. I don't know why, they have never explained it to me.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by LatinaAlumna

So you know the difference between "Hispanic" and "Latino" but still use them interchangeably? That's interesting.

Your phrasing is prejudicial on the matter.

Try:
"So you know that some people see a value difference between the two labels, yet since you do not see such a difference you have no particular preference about how you identify? That's interesting!"

[LatinaAlumna]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Your phrasing is prejudicial on the matter.

Try:
"So you know that some people see a value difference between the two labels, yet since you do not see such a difference you have no particular preference about how you identify? That's interesting!"

Yea, sure, um, duly noted for next time.

[LatinaAlumna]

It's true, I could have explained why I made that comment toward JohnnyCash in the initial post, but I didn't. If he/she wants to come back and tell me to "f-off" I will hear him/her out. It's still not going to change the fact that where I live, work, and in the circles I run in, the word "Hispanic" is negative and people who call themselves "Hispanic" are not very well received (putting it mildly). It's not going to change the fact that some of the posts by this person served as further evidence in my mind as to why this person thinks he/she is "Hispanic" versus "Latino" (which is what prompted my post, but I do understand that not everyone would understand where I was coming from).

[voLTAgeDEuce]

In my mind, I feel that being identified as Hispanic, either on your own account or by others, shows ignorance or lack of awareness. If a non-Latino refers to myself or someone else as Hispanic I just give them the benefit of the doubt that they are most likely not aware. However, if someone who is Latino/Non-Spaniard (not from Spain) uses 'Hispanic' they come across as culturally uneducated and that is not very respectable.

As far as labeling and stigmatizing, this is going to happen in all societies. We, as human beings, are going to receive and give labels to one another because that is our judgmental nature, sadly. In my opinion, I would rather label myself and identify myself, in an informed manner of course, before I allow the labels others give to me to stick. We cannot pretend that we do not make judgments about others, at least in our own minds.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by voLTAgeDEuce

In my mind, I feel that being identified as Hispanic, either on your own account or by others, shows ignorance or lack of awareness.

Why?